Machine for spinning metals into irregular shapes



(No Model.)

J. BROWNING. MACHINE FOR SPINNING METALS INTO IRREGULAR SHAPES. No. 417,226. Patented Dec. 17. 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH BROXVNING, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MACHINE FOR SPINNING METALS INTO IRREGULAR SHAPES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,226, dated December 17, 18819.

Application filed July 30, 1889- $eria1llo. 319,17 (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosnPH BROWNING, of the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Machines for Spinning Metals into Irregular Shapes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to machines for spinning metals into irregular shapes; and it consists of certain improvements, all of which are fully set forth in the following specification, and shown in the accompanying drawings, which form part thereof.

Heretofore irregular, spiral, or rope shaped handles for canes, umbrellas, 850., have usually been made either by stamping two halves of sheet metal and then placing them together and securing the lalves to each other by solder, or by placing a tube of metal upon a properly-shaped mandrel, and then pressing in the metal to make it conform to the shape of the mandrel by a hand-tool. The former method is objectionable in that the joints are always perceptible, and the latter method is expensive, slow, requires great skilhand the finished work is apt to be more or less untrue. Another defect in the hand process is that in plated work or metals in which the surface is covered with an extremely thin layer of gold the han d-manipulationsare liable to abrade the surface, removing the gold-surface, and thereby ruining the work.

The object of my invention is to overcome these objectionable features by providing suitable mechanical devices whereby such irregular, spiral, or rope shapes may be made without the requirement of skill or employment of special care.

Furthermore, my object is to so construct the machine that the work it produces is independent of the speed at which it is run, and it is upon this feature that I lay particular stress, since the formation of the article may take place faster or slower at the option of the operator, and without the least variation of the speed of the machine so far as the rotation of the article to be spun is concerned.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of same on line a: m. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan View of a portion of same taken on line y y. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the tube before being spun. Fig. 5 is a similar View showing the tube spun into shape. Fig. 6 is alongitudinal sectional View showing a modification of the mandrel and tube prior to spinning, and Fig. 7 is a perspective View of a modified form of spinningwheel.

A is the chuck of a lathe.

B is the mandrel upon which the metal tube is spun, and O is the center found on all lathes for supporting the mandrel at its end most distant from the chuck.

D represents'the metal tube or cup which is placed upon the mandrel to be spun. In most of the figures it is shown as tapering or conical shaped, open atboth ends, while in Fig. 6 it is shown as cup-shaped.

E is the spinning-wheel, and has its periphery formed with grooves or depressions e, the shape of which is immaterial to my invention and varies with the design to be imparted to the spun metal. These grooves 6 may be arranged parallel to or oblique with respect to the axis of rotation of the wheel, which axis is preferably at right angles to the axis of the mandrel. This spinningwheelE is journaled in a holder F,.clamped in a tool-holder G of a slide-rest, which slide-rest consists of the part H, guided transversely and movable to and from the work by a screwJ upon the head I, which head in turn is guided longitudinally or in-the direction of the length of the mandrel upon the frame K and is moved by a screw L. The frame (and hence the slide-rest) is adjustable upon a vertical axis M,'so as to allow the wheel to be moved parallel to the outer surface of the mandrel, or obliquely to the aXisof 'the mandrel when said mandrel is made tapering. It is evident that the screw L might be operated as is customary in the well-known forms of engiue-lathes, and thus the travel of the wheel would be independent of the attention of the operator. As an illustration 1 have shown gear-wheels Z dotted and connecting the power-shaft of the lathe with the feeding-screw L for the slide-rest. Inplace of making the slide-rest move obliquely to the lathe-shaft, the mandrel may be set at an incline to the said shaft by shifting the support of the center Q laterally, as is customary in many types of lathes adapted for turning tapering forms.

The essential novelty of my invention is due to the construction and relative arrangement of the mandrel B and spinning-Wheel E. The wheel E is allowed to rotate freely, and runs at a speed commensurate with that of the mandrel, and this is irrespective of the longitudinal travel of the wheel over the length of the mandrel.

The operation will now be understood. A tube of metal, Fig. 4, being slipped on the mandrel B, it, with the supporting-mandrel, is allowed to rotate at any speed desired. Before starting the wheel to spinning the tube into the shape of the mandrel one end of the tube is pressed into the grooves on the mandrel, so that the wheel E may obtain a hold to impart to it the impulse to rotate upon its vertical axis. The oblique grooves in the mandrel B act as a worm with respect to the wheel E, and

7 of the tube D on the mandrel.

cause it to rotate without regard to whether it is moved longitudinally over the mandrel or not. WVhile so rotating the slide-rest is caused to move longitudinally or parallel to the surface of the mandrel and thus break down or spin the metal tube into the desired shape, as shown in Fig. 5. Now, it is evident that the wheel E simply acts as a Worm-wheel and rotates freely Without necessitating any longitudinal movement, except so far as is required to in sure ultimate travel over theentire length During such travel of the wheel the mandrel may make one hundred or one thousand revolutions. It is evident that the axis of the wheel E may be changed from the vertical to any angle which will enable it to be driven by the mandrel as if it were a worm-wheel.

In Fig 6 I have shown the mandrel B, cup D, and centerO for spinning a handle. The mandrel at the end is collapsible, so that it can be withdrawn after completion of the spinning operation.

While I prefer the construction shown, I do not limit myself to the details thereof, as they may be modified in various ways without departing from my invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a rotating mandrel having its surface formed with one or more spiral grooves, with a forming or spinning wheel having corresponding grooves and mounted close to and in a plane substantially parallel to the axis of said mandrel, whereby it acts as a worm-wheel to said mandrel.

2. The combination of a rotating mandrel having its surface formed with one or more spiral grooves, with a forming or spinning wheel having corresponding grooves and mounted close to and in a plane substantially parallel to the axis of said mandrel, whereby it acts as aworm-wheel to the mandrel, a support for said spinning-wheel, and a guide parallel to the mandrel for the spinning-wheel support.

3. The combination of a rotating mandrel having its surface formed with one or more spiral grooves, with a forming or spinning wheel having corresponding grooves and loosely supported in a plane substantially parallel to the axis of and close to the mandrel and acting as a worm-wheel to said mandrel.

4. The combination of a rotatingmandrel having its surface formed with one or more spiral grooves, with a forming or spinning wheel having corresponding grooves and loosely mounted in a plane substantially par allel to the axis of and close to the mandrel and acting as a worm-wheel to said mandrel, a support for said spinning-wheel, a guide parallel to the mandrel for the spinning-wheel, and a screw to feed the support of the spinning-wheel in the length of the mandrel.

5. A rotating mandrel having spiral grooves or forming portions, in combination with a loosely-pivoted forming or spinning wheel having grooves corresponding to those of the mandrel, mounted in a plane substantially parallel with the axis of and adapted to be rotated by the mandrel, a support for the wheel, and feeding devices to feed the support to or from the mandrel and also longitudinally with respect to the mandrel.

6. A rotating mandrel made tapering and having spiral grooves or forming portions, in combination with a loosely-pivoted forming or spinning wheel having grooves corresponding to those of the mandrel mounted in a plane substantially parallel with the axis of and adapted to be rotated by the mandrel, a support for the wheel, and feeding devices to feed the support to or from the mandrel and also longitudinally with respect to the man drel.

7. A rotating mandrel made tapering and having spiral grooves or forming portions, in combination with a loosely-pivoted forming or spinning wheel having oblique grooves corresponding to a mean of those of the mandrel mounted in a plane substantially parallel with the axis of and adapted to be rotated by the mandrel, a support for the wheel, and feeding devices to feed the support to or from the mandrel and also longitudinally with respect to the mandrel.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand.

JOSEPH BROWNING.

Witnesses:

ERNEST HOWARD HUNTER, S. T. YERKES. 

